Fruit pitting devices



April 17, 1956 E. w. CARROLL 2,742,066

FRUIT FITTING DpvIcEs April 17, 1956 E. w. CARROLL 2,742,066

- FRUIT FITTING DEVICES original Filed June Io, 1949 1o sheets-sheet 2 i i i f' INVENTOR. E LLSWOTH M. CPPOLL April 17, 1956 E. w. CARROLL 2,742,066

Y FRUIT FITTING DEVICES original Filed June 1o, 1949 10 sheets-sheet s gulf vP [if: I

INVENTOR. ELLSWOH W. CPOLL April 17, 1956 E. w. CARROLL 2,742,066

FRUIT FITTING DEVICES 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed June 10, 1949 l i v ll ll il 1I illl Il llil il Il Il lll il llil illllil INVENToR. EL Swami/l u. ZMozt www April 17, 1956 Original Filed June 10, 1949 E. w. CARROLL 2,742,066

FRUIT FITTING DEVICES 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 gigi-4 w24 jf] Il? 10J j# I Ifrryrmrrm i; 'U'umwl g 1 15a- 'Z I I ,QC/: g E Qu I i 420153 154 FMR ffy i J2] 122 fff j mm ,ms/500121 April 17, 1956 E. w. CARROLL 2,742,066

FRUIT FITTING DEVICES Original Filed June lO, 1949 10 Sheets-Sheet 6 fz; "f"

0 Q ,230 P32 n 233 ram- 1 2.9.5 296' INVENTOR.

' Euswom n. cm2/m April 17, 1956 E. w. CARROLL 2,742,066

FRUIT FITTING DEVICES Original Filed June 10, 1949 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 @ffy/7 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 April 17, 1956 E. w. CARROLL FRUIT PITTING DEVICES Original File une l0, 1949 April 17, 1956 E. w. cARRcLL. 2,742,066

FRUIT FITTING DEVICES Original Filed June lO, 1949 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 LWZ VP INVENTOR. ELLSWURTH W CARROLL April 17, 1956 E. w. CARROLL FRUIT FITTING DEVICES 10 Sheets-Sheet lO Original Filed June 10, 1949 INVENroR. ELLSwo/zTH N CARRQLL WW /'s azezz f//mrzzey United States Patent FRUIT PITTING DEVICES Ellsworth W. Carroll, Redwood, Calif., assignor to S & W Fine Foods,Inc., San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of California Application May 11, 1951, Serial No. 225,731, whiclris a division of application Serial No. 98,260, June 10, 1949, now Patent No. 2,568,947, dated August 27, 1951. Divided aud this application August 26, 1952, Serial No. 306,432

6 Claims. (Cl. 146-28) ,This invention relates to apparatus for processing fruit having a stem indent and more particularly the invention relates to apparatus for feeding, for orientating as to indent, for orientating as to seam or suture, for inspecting as to orientation, for halving and for pitting peaches and other similarly indented fruit, and particularly peaches suitable for canning.

The various features of the present invention are shown and described herein, for purposes of illustration of the means and method involved, as combined in a unitary machine coordinated to perform continuously the following operations in sequence, entirely automatically, on whole fruit such as peaches: f

1. To feed whole peaches in timely relation to the input of the machine in heterogeneous positions.

2. To automatically adjust fruit carriages on the man chine to a size related to the size of the peach in the individual carriages.

3. To rotate the peach with relation to and in contact with an orientation member shaped to enter the stem indent of the peach when registry of stem indent and said member occurs, and to change the plane of rotation of the fruit to increase the probability of registry of indent and orientation member.

4. To orientate the fruit with relation to the seam or suture thereon after said member and indent have been registered. p

5. To inspect the fruit after the orientation operation and to discard such fruits as are not properly orientated, both as to indent and seam.

6. To saw the properly orientated fruit in half with the plane of the saw passing through the indent and the seam plane.

7. To cutout the half pits from each fruit half.

In the machine described herein all of the above steps are synchronized, so that a continuous ow of fruit is passed through the machine.

Certain aspects of the orientation portion of the machine of the present invention have been shown, described and claimed in my co-pending application, tiled September 25, 1947, Serial Number 776,05 8, of which the present application is a continuation-impart.

Among the objects of the present invention are:

To provide a machine coordinated to receive an orderly succession of fruit such as peaches and to automatically feed the fruit in heterogeneous positions into the input of the machine in timely relation to fruit carriages adapted to maintaintthe fruit in a position to be further operated on during passage through the machine;

To provide a means and method of gaging the fruit as to size as it enters the machine and to automatically adjust. the size of the fruit carriages to the size of the individual fruit loaded therein; f

To provide a means and method of revolving a fruit while in the fruit carriages of the machine with respect to and in Contact with an orientationvmernber shaped to fit the indents of the fruits being processed, and to revolve machine;

. 2 the fruit in such a manner as to attain a high efficiency of indent orientation;

To provide a means and method whereby the indents of the fruit orientated with the indent in a` predetermined position are subjected to an operation by a `member designed to enter thev indent to ,the fullest extent, andwhile said operation is being conducted, to provide lmeans for moving the indent iitting member in a manner tending to align the seam plane in a desired position; p

`To provide a means forv probing the fruit indent for the determination of proper seam position thereof yand to cause `such fruits as may be improperly orientated `as to both seam and indent position, to be removed from the machine; l

To provide a means whereby fruit properlyorientated as to both seam and indent are grippedin the, desired orientated position and thereafter sawed in half with the plane of the saw passing through the tip-indent axis and through the seam or suture, so that both halves `of the fruit are substantially identical, and thereby of desirable canning quality; To provide ameans whereby `the sawed halves are separated and progressed along a path into the proper posi. tion for pitremoval; r g

To provide a means for cutting out the pit portions relmaining in each peach half; l

To provide a means for adjusting the cut of the pit removing means in accordance with the size of the peach half being operated on; y f f To provide a peach pit removing mechanismlsuitable/ for operationen continuously moving peach halves;`

To provide a single, synchronized machine for accom-l plishing all of the above objects in coordinated sequential relation, with the peaches flowing continually through the .To provide a relatively simple automatic peach processing machine in which peaches are orientated both as, to

indent and seam position, inspected to rejectimproperly properly orientated'` fruit:

orientated peaches with the halved and pitted; p y l To provide such a machine that will eflicientlyhandle either graded for size or ungraded fruit; and

To provide these and other objectsof theinvention as will be apparent from the perusal of the Aaccompanying description of oneY preferred form of the invention7 `as.

shown in the drawings in which: v

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating ship of the various features of the machine.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the machine of..`

Figure 1. r n t Figure 3 isV an enlarged view partly in section, illustrating a loading feature of the aforementioned machine. g

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the loading feature of Figure 3.

yFigure 5 is a fragmentary view illustrating adetail of the loading feature of Figures 3 and 4. l

Figure 6 is 'an enlarged vertical sectional view of the indent orientation stage taken as kindicated by the line` 6-6 in Figure 2. t

Figure 7is a top plan view of a portion of the indent orientation stage shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a side view taken as indicatedby linel 8-8 of Figure `7. t Y j Figure-8a is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of an orientation wheel. f t

Figure 9 is an enlarged vertical view partly in section 1 and partly in elevation of a seam orientationmechanism,

taken as indicated by line 9-9 in Figure 2. 1

Figure l0 is' a side view of the seam orientation mechanism shown in Figure 9, taken as indicated by line10-10 in Figure 9.

the general `relation#Y i Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view taken as vindicated byline 11-11 in Figure 9.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary top plan view, taken as indicated by arrow 12 in Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a top plan view taken as indicated by line 13-13 in Figure 10.

Figure 14 is an enlarged vertical view partly in section and partly in elevation of an inspection stage, taken as indicated by line 14-14 'in Figure 2.

Figures 15 and 16 are enlarged views in elevation showing the details of an indent probe forming part of Figure 14.

Figure 17 is a top plan view taken as indicated by arrow 17 in Figure 1S.

Figure 18 is an enlarged vertical view partly in section and partly in elevation of a sawing and pitting mechanisrn, taken as `indicated byline 18-18 in Figure 2.

Figure 19 is a top plan view of a pitting blade used in the device shown in Figure 18.

Figure 20 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the gear box of the machine, taken as indicated by line 20--20 `in Figure 2.

Figure 21 is a side view taken as indicated by line 21--21 in Figure 20.

Figure 21a is a vside view taken as indicated by line 21a- 21a in Figure 20.

Figure 22 is a side View of a modified form of fruit carriage construction.

Figure 23 is a plan view taken as indicated by arrow 23 in Figure 22.

Main elements and stages of the machine Before entering into a description of the details of the various mechanisms utilized in the various stages of the complete machine shown in the drawings, the main elements thereof -as particularly .shown in Figures l and 2 will lirst be described.

The machine illustrated is of the endless carrier type in which a plurality of fruit carriages are continuously progressed over -a frame supported on frame legs 2.

The frame comprises an upper chain bar and a lower chain bar 6 tied together by end crossbars 7 and held at 90 to each other and at 45 to the ground level, as best shown in Figure 18.

At the ends thereof each chain bar is cut away .to receive an idler sprocket 8 .at the front end of the machine, and to receive a drive sprocket 9 at the rear end, these sprockets being positioned to guide an endless roller chain 'in a position to ride along the top edge of -eaeh upper chain bar 5 and along the bottom edge of each of the lower chain bars 6. The two drive vsprockets 9 are driven `from a gear box 11, which is supplied with power from electric motor 12 through belt 14, motor pulley 15 and gear box pulley 16. s

Aplurality of fruit holding carriages are formed from opposed carriage halves oppositely positioned .on .and attached at uniform intervals to the roller chains 10, and progressed by Athem along the chain bars.

The carriage halves are separated as they pass along the lower chain plate 6 and then rise to approach .each other as a loading stage I-A is reached prior to progressing horizontally along the top of the upper chain bars .5. The stages are best shown in Figure '2.

At the loading stage I-A the fruit is loaded in proper sequence Ainto the fruit carriages formed by the opposite carriage halves now in position 'to retain the fruit, and if the 'fruit being processed is ungraded a fruit carriage sizing means is operated as the fruit is loaded into .the carriage. This stage will later be described in detail.

After a peach is loaded into la carriage, the carriages are progressed yto enter into an indent orientation stage extending from A to B in which the fruit :are revolved by frictional contact with power driven wheels -mounted on a sub-conveyor, so that duringthe orientation stage the fruit will be rot-ated at all times `except 'when a wheel i registers with the stem indent. This registry prevents further driving contact with ythe fruit so that the fruit stops rotating, with the indent down. During the passage of fruit through stage A-B the orientation wheels are changed in rotational plane, preferably rapidly, to increase the probability of indent registry with the wheel.

After the wheels are removed from beneath the fruit by termination of the sub-conveyor, the carriages pass through a seam orientation stage B-C, While the fruit is in this stage a member having an indent fitting head is applied to the fruit from below and travels with the fruit, oscillating meanwhile to settle the fruit to its deepest extent on the head and thereby orientate the fruit as to seam or suture plane. As the carriages pass out of the seam orientation stage B--C, the heads return quickly to orientate the following fruit as to seam plane. The fruit then enters an inspection stage C-D.

ln this stage C-D, a pilot is inserted into the stem indent, this pilot having a feeler on the upper end thereof sensing the shape of the indent. lf the feeler is not operated, due to an improperly orientated indent being presented to it, or due to no indent at all being entered, the fruit is raised by the pilot, and means are provided to remove the peach from the carriage and from the machine. Assuming that the inspection has found a properly orientated fruit to be present in the carriage, the fruit is carried `next to a halving stage D-E, the position sensing pilot returning to inspect the fruit in a following carriage.

As the fruit enters the halving stage D-E, the halves of the carriage are released so that the peach is gripped by the carriage halves, and a rotating circular saw cuts through the vertical central plane of the peach as the carriage progresses. When the peaches are properly orientated, the cut is made through the tip-indent axis and in the plane of the seam, thus providing substantially identical fruit halves.

At the end of the halving stage D-E, the cut surfaces of the peach are close together and vertical. The peach halves are then passed into a peach Vhalf separation and turning stage E-F, in which the fruit halves are widely separated but are still progressed by the individual carriage halves to a position in which the cut surfaces of the fruit halves are horizontal and facing downwardly. The fruit halves then pass through a pitting stage F-G, during which the cut-out peach pit portions are removed from the half and discharged. The pitted half is then separately discharged and the carriage halves then return along a return stage G-l to rise again and approach cach other to receive a whole fruit in the loading stage l-A.

The details of cach stage, operating as set forth above, will next be described.

Fruit carriages The details of one form of adjustable carriages are shown in Figures l, 2, 4, 9, 14, and 18. Each carriage comprises a `pair of carriage halves attached to chains 10 opposite each other. Each carriage half 20 comprises a flat carriage plate 21 attached at one end to roller chain 1t) to slide over upper and lower chain bars on the outside edges thereof. At the other end of the carriage plate 21, a central ribbed arm 22 extends upwardly from a pivot pin 24 on carriage plate 21 to terminate in a V-shaped pair of fruit restraining fingers 25 extending substantially horizontally when the carriage base plate 21 is on an upper chain bar. Also extending upwardly from the bottom of carriage plate 21 is a solid arm 26 terminating in an enlarged end 27 from which a locking screw 29 is extended horizontally fore and aft to pass through an arcuate slot 30 in central ribbed arm 22. Locking screw 29 has a threaded end screwed into enlarged end 27 of solid arm 22 and outside of slot 30 the screw '29 is provided with a locking lever 32. The relationship lof locking lever 32, ribbed arm 22, and solid arm 26 is such that upward pressure exerted by a locking spring 34 bearing against locking lever and carriage plate 21, and held in place by -a plate boss 35 and a lever boss 36, causes the ribbed arm 22 to be firmly locked to the solid arm 26. The threads on screw 29 are coarse, so that a very slight downward movement of the end of locking lever 32 will unlock ribbed arm 22. When pressure on lever 32 is released, spring 35 will relock the ribbed arm 22. The weight of the fruit is such that when the ribbed arm is unlocked, the arm and fingers will fall toward the carriage plate by gravity. When two half carriages are opposed to hold a fruit therebetween, the width of the space between the opposed finger pairs can be changed, and the arms locked in any position desired. Thus, fruit differing materially in size can be accommodated between opposed finger pairs, with proper spacing so that fruit between the finger pairs can be freely revolved.

f The space between finger pairs 25 during passage of the fruit along the machine will be termed a fruit restraining space 37.

The restraint of the fruit from below is provided by a base plate 39 extended from each carriage plate 21 toward the vertical longitudinal central plane of the machine VP. These base plates 39 are substantially horizontally positioned beneath finger pairs 25 and are centrally provided with central cut out portions 40 for the insertion of various devices from below into the restraint space 37 above opposed base plates.

As will be seen later, the control of the size of the restraint space 37 between carriage halves can be made automatic, either for running graded peaches where the restraint space is kept uniform in size except for a gripping of the peach just prior to sawing or for running ungraded peaches where the position of the finger pairs in each carriage half of a carriage assembly is individually changed to provide lthe proper size of restraint space for free revolution of a peach being loaded into the particular restraint space.

Loading stage l-A Loading of the peaches is accomplished by the mechanism particularly shown in Figures 3, 4, and 5, taken in conjunction with Figures l and 2.

An upright is erected from a frame plate 43 joining legs 2 at the input end of the machine, and carries a star wheel 46 rotatable in the central vertical plane VP on wheel pin 47. Attached to star wheel 46 is a ratchet 49 having eight teeth 50 thereon.' The star wheel 46 has four pockets 51 and is placed at the end of a sloping feed chute 52 in which the peaches to be run are stacked, the chute being fed from a hopper (not shown) with the fruit in heterogeneous positions as to indent.

The star wheel 46 is rotated by reciprocation of a pawl lever 54 having a pawl 55 mounted thereon engaging teeth on the ratchet 49. Lever 54 is reciprocated through rod 53 by crank 56 (Figure 2) mounted on the end of a lower longitudinal shaft 57 extending forward from gear box 11 at twice machine cycle speed so that a peach rolling from feed chute 52 into a star wheel pocket 51 will be rotated tirst, one eighth of a revolution to a position in contact with an upper dished roller 59 mounted on a swinging roller arm 60 attached to the top of upright 45, this position being shown in Figure 5, and then by another eighth revolution to a position where the fruit will drop by gravity from the star wheel 46 into the restraint space 27 formed by the opposed finger pairs 25 on carriage halves 20 coming up on the chains 10 to the beginning of the horizontal path on the machine frame.

Asl the carriage halves 20 rise vertically at the input end of the machine, these halves are preferably automatically and individually adjusted for the size peach being loaded when ungraded fruit is being processed.

These carriage halves are first unlocked by a loading ca'm 61 positioned on each side of the input end of the machine bearing against locking levers 32 on each carriage half shown in Figures l and 2. The carriage halves are held unlocked by the loading cam as they rise toward the loading location. As pointed out in the prior description of the carriage halves 20, the restraining finger pairs 25 on each carriage half will fall toward each other by gravity when the ribbed arms are unlocked so that as these carriage halves near the loading position they will have minimum spacing between opposed finger pairs. As the carriage halves 20 rise, in unlocked condition, they are opened to a maximum extent by a fixed opening cam 63.

Just prior to the loading position the distance between finger pairs is controlled by the position of a pair of opposite adjusting cams 62 which begin as opening cams 63 end. Each cam 62 is positioned to bear against a lower and inner surface of a ribbed arm 22 on a carriage half after the ribbed arms leave the opening cams 63. Both adjusting cams 62 are supported by a cam lever 64 pivoted on pin 65 on the lower portion of upright 45. The ribbed arms 22 of the carriage halves, it has been seen, are not vertical, but slope upwardly toward the central vertical plane VP of the machine and when released by opening cams 63, come to rest on adjusting cams 62. The vertical position of adjusting cams 62 is determined by a rod connection 66 between cam lever 64 and dished roller arm 60.

As the dished roller arm 60 is lifted to pass over a peach rotated by star wheel 46, this arm 60, through rod connection 66 and cam lever 64 lifts adjusting cams 62 which in turn position the opposed finger pairs 25 on the carriage halves as they leave the opening cams 63 the proper distance apart for the size of the peach about to be loaded. As the carriage halves are about to leave adjusting cams 62, the loading cams 61 (Figures 1 and 2) terminate, and thesprings 34 on the carriage halves operating on loading levers 32 lock the finger pairs in the position in which they were placed by the action of adjusting cams 62.

In case graded peaches are being run through the machine, rod connection 66 may be removed and the adjusting cams 62 held in the same position for all carriages by setting a cam lever positioning screw 67 to hold the adjusting cams 62 in a constant xed position as determined by the average size of the peaches being processed. For ungraded peaches positioning screw 67 can be set to hold the restraint space to a predetermined minimum, or removed, if desired. Thus, the carriages can all be adjusted to have the same restraining space, or can be individually adjusted as to restraint space in accordl ance with the size of the peach being loaded.

lndent orientation stage AB After the peaches have been loaded into the carriages andthe restraint spaces, they pass directly into an indent orientation stage, the details of which are shown in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 8a. This stage takes up four carriage lengths on the conveyor.

ln this indent orientation stage, a subconveyor frame 70 is supported from the upper chain bar 5 by subconveyor frame brackets 71, through lower adjustment screws 72 that can be changed in length to adjust the height of the subconveyor frame, as shown in Figure 6. This frame comprises two vertical U-shaped side channels 74 and 75 facing each other to form a support for a cam track block 76 extending horizontally across the ma chine between and joining the channels 74 and 75 and slightly below the top of these channels. An endless subconveyor chain 77 progresses around the cam track block- 76 above and below this block, this chain being mounted on end sprockets 77a fastened on front and rear cross shafts 79 and 80, respectively.

Six to eight wheel blocks 81 are attached to subconveyor chain 77, these wheel blocks riding, when on top of the cam track block, on lateral shoulders 82 `of the cam track block 76, and when lreturning lunderneath `the cam track block 76, the wheel blocks 81 ride on the lower inturned edges of the opposed side Achannels '74 and 75. The wheel .blocks 31 lare spaced .carriage distance apart, and are arranged on the snbconveyor chain 77 to travel centrally beneath the carriages as they progress along the horizontal path of the carrier.

Each wheel block 81 supports a wheel pivot 84 extending upwardly when the blocks are .on the upper si-dc of the cam track yblock 76, this 4pivot 84 extending through the wheel block to join a roller arm 84 having a downwardly projecting roller 8o on the end thereof. Each roller tits and rides in a cam track 87 grooved into the upper surface of the cam lcrack block 76 and extending the full length thereof, with several `changes of direc tion, as will be later described.

The upper end of each wheel pivot 84 is forked and is crossed at the end thereof by a wheel pin 90 on which a an orientation wheel 91 is mounted .to rotate freely. A portion of a wheel 91 is shown -in section `in Figure 8a.

The periphery of each orientation wheel 91 is sloped toward vthe ccntral plane of `the Wheel, and one lside of the wheel is provided with bevel gear teeth 92 cut thereon, these teeth at their outer ends conforming to the slope of the wheel sides.

At one side of the wheels 91, parallel to their direction of movement when on top of cam track block '76 is positioned a pinion wire 94 having longitudinal teeth 95 thereon. This pinion wire 94 is journalled in end bearings 96 and is positioned just below the base plates of the carriage halves lon one side of the machine, ywith the pinion wire axis on the same level as that of the apex of the orientation wheels 91.

Pinion wire 94 is rotated by a pinion wire chain 97 engaging a pinion wire sprocket '99 positioned at the forward end of the pinion wire. The pinion wire chain 97 extends downwardly to pass `around `a shaft sprocket 99 on longitudinal shaft 57 which drives the Crank -56 for rotation of star wheel 46 (see Figure 2).

As shown in Figure 6, the subconveyor chain 77 is driven .by pins 100, extending downwardly from the main roller chai-n lil on the side of the .machine opposite the pinion wire, these pins 100 :being properly spaced on chain to engage each wheel block 81 and progress the wheel blocks along on the subconveyor at the same rate of speed as the carriages.

As the -carriages progress, and enter the lorientation stage A-B, the orientation wheels 91 rise at the beginning of the subconvcyor frame, and enter the spaces between carriage base plates 39 in the cutouts 40 therein provided and project into the krestraint spaces in which the fruit is held. As the orientation wheels 91 reach the vertical plane, the cam rollers enter the cam track 87 which, through the roller arms ,85 connected to the wheel pivots 84 control the vertical plane positions of the vorientation, wheels.

The cam track, as the rollers 86 enter it, is provided with an entrance ilare lil-1 to facilitate entrance of the rollers. Arms S5 extend outwardly from pivots 84 in the plane of the wheel.

As the rollers enter lthe track, the rollers trail with the Wheels in the central vertical plane V. P. of the machine. The cam track 87 then moves to one side of the cam track block 76 in a position where vthe teeth 92 on each wheel are forced into engagement with the longitudinal teeth 95 on the pinion wire 94 which is constantly rotating. This engagement causes `the wheels to rotate in a vertical vplane 45 to t-he central vertical plane of the machine. The fruit, resting on a wheel, is thereby rotated unless and until a wheel enters ythe stem indent of `the fruit. At this time rotation of fthe fruit will Vcease even though the wheel on which the fruit is resting is stilrl rotating, .as the fruit will voe lowered by this registry' .of wheel and indent and at least part of the weight of the fruit will be taken by the base plates 39 on each side of the wheel.

ln any event, as the carriages, fruit, and wheels progress, the cam track 87 is changed in direction ,on the cam track block 76 and Iis moved over to the other side of cam track block 76. The rollers, trailing in the `cam track, follow the direction change thereof, and ip the wheels into a new vertical plane away from their former positions into a position where the wheel teeth 92 again engage the pinion wire teeth 95, but -on the opposite side of the orient-ation wheel. The wheel then rotates in the opposite direction. This rapid change in the vertical rotation plane of the wheels, with direction reversal, greatly increases the ,probability .of .the indent of a fruit registering with the .orientation wheel. ln the preferred example shown, several wheel plane changes are made while the wheels are projecting into Athe restraint space 37 between the carriage halves. ln this saine preferred example, the wheel is about 1% .inches in diameter, 1/4 inch thick near the periphery, and is rotated about 260 R. P. M. by the pinion wire when thc carriages are being progressed at a rate of 60 per minute past a given point.

As some of the peaches may have their indents come to a registry wit-h a wheel at the very Abeginning :of the orientation stage, subsequent wheel plane shifts also .aid in scam orientation, particularly with respect to those fruits whose indents are of proper size to fit the wheel so that ,a substantial weight of the peach still rests on the base plates, but the indent tits -the wheel after wheel and indent registry occur close enough to turn the fruit in the VP. The inertia of .the peach permits the wheels to shi-ft their plane without always Amoving the peach and during this relative movement of wheel and indent, `the wheel plane and Vseam plane `may coincide. When this happens, the peach settles still further on the wheel, so that the wheel lplane and seam plane substantially coincide as ythe wheel will penetrate to its `maximum extent when such coincidence toccurs. For this reason, it is preferred that the cam track 87 be ended with a short end section 102 which places the wheel plane in the central vertical plane VP of the machine as the wheels leave the carriages.

At the end of the indent orientation stage A-B the majority of the fruit will be properly orientated with the indent down. However, as not all of the fruit will be orientated as to seam or suture with the suture plane coinciding with the central vertical Vplane VP of the machine, it is desirable Ato pass the fruit through a seam orientation'stage B-C Seam orientation stage B--C The seam orientation stage B-C operates to orientate peaches that enter the stage vwith their indents down, into a position Where the vseam -or suture plane through thc fruit lies substantially in the central vertical plane VP of the machine.

'in making this seam yplane orientation, full advantage is taken of the fact that the stem indent is longer in the plane of the seam than it is in any other plane, so that an elongated member shaped 'to enter the stern indent lto its full depth when registered with the seam plane and with substantially all of the vweight of the peach thereon will not 4enter the indent to the same depths in any other plane. Advantage is also taken of the fact that such an indent fitting member, once having been Aentered into the indent to the fullest .cx-tent possible, tends yto stay there when rotated, whereas when such a member is Irotated with respect to a peach indent in any other relationship thereto than full penetration, relative rotation of the peach and member can take place. Thus by presenting an elongated indent member lgenerally litting the indents of peaches to the indent of each peach and rotating the peach and member relative to each other li-n horizontal planes, the member seeks Iand 'finds the deepest 'penetran tion in the indent by this relative movement. When such deepest penetration is achieved, i. e., when the longest dimension of the'member is in the seam plane of the fruit, the member and peach :votate together and the seam plane remains orientated with respect to the member. 'l-lie'n,:by stopping the rotation of the member in a predetermined position with respect to the machine and withdrawingthe member, the peach will be left in the machine with the indentdown. and with the seam plane in the predetermined position desired.

In Figures 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13, a seam orientation mechanism is shown in detail for orientating the peaches passing through the machine to place their seam planes in the central vertical plane VP- of the machine. This stage takes up three carriage lengths on the machine.

Referring first to Figures 9 and l0,fa seam orientation blockV 105 is mounted to slide centrally and longitudinally of the machine below and between' carriage halves, being reciprocated over a horizontal path covering 12/3 carriage lengths by a horizontal reciprocation rod 106 (Figure 12) operated from the 1/2 time shaft 251, as will be later described,` through rod pin 107 attached to the rear end of orientation block 105. Laterally `and vertically, the orientation block 106 is maintained in position by guides 109 entering grooves 110 in the orientation block 105, the guides 109 being bolted to opposite upper chain bars 5 of the machine, as best shown in Figure 9. i

The orientation block 106 is reciprocated along the machiney at carriage speed, with a quick return at the end of, the path so that'the fruit` in `two carriages can be simultaneously operated on for seam orientation just after the fruit has left the indent orientation stage A-fB.

A pair of longitudinally spaced rod bosses, a front boss 111 and a rear boss 112, project upwardly and centrally fromorientation block Sand each boss and the block is bored to receive and journal a vertical seam rod 114 extending through the block to terminate well below it.

Between the lower projections of seam rods 114 a pair ofslide pins 115 extend downwardly from orientation block 105 and are connected together by a cross bar 113 at the bottom thereof below the ends of seam rods 114. Mounted on slide pins 115 is a vertical slide 116, this slide being reciprocated by a slide rod 117, operated from gear box 11, as will be described later.

Slide 116 is provided with fore `and aft lugs 119 extendedtherefrom and bored to receive seam rods 114. Immediately above lugs 119 each seam rod 114 is provided with a pinned washer120, and immediately below each lug 119, each seam rod is provided with a small sprocket 121 pinned to each seam rod 114, these sprockets being connected by a sprocket chain 122.

Thus both seam rods 114 will be vertically reciprocated in the orientation block 105 by vertical lreciprocation of vertical slide 116 by slide lever 117. Also as both seam rods are connected together by chain 122, any rotation imparted to one seam rod will cause the other seam rod to rotate as well.

When slide 116 is in its lowest position the upper ends of` seam rods 114 are close to the top of bosses 111 and 112 and each seam rod is provided with an upper indent fitting tip 124. y

'fThis' tip 124, best shown in Figures 9, 10, and 12, has a Vroghly diamond shaped base 125 elongated in one dimension, with sides 126 slanting upwardly to a central Icut out V127 which is present so that if a small portion of aI peach stem 129 (Figure 9) remains in the bottom of an indent this small piece of stem will enter the cut out 127 so that it will not prevent deep penetration of the tip 124 into `the indent. Except for vthe cut out 47, the tip 124 resembles the indent fitting portion of an orientation wheel 491, and the tip has the same relative dimensions as the indent fitting portion of the wheels 91, both as to length.. and thickness.

Thefront and rear surfaces of the indent fitting tip 124 also slope upwardly toward the cut out 127 and are rounded, so that the shape of the tip is such as to fit deeply i t te into a peach indent only when the elongated indent registers with the long dimension of the tip in exactly the same manner as the tops of wheels 91 registered with the indent for seam orientation in the previous stage. When such registry occurs, the position of the peach is determined by the position of the tip, as under these conditions both tip and peach will rotate together. When not operating on a peach,` indent fitting tips 124 are below the level of the base plates 39 of the carriage halves, so that the orientation block can be reciprocated in the opposite direction to carriage travel.

As the carriages leave the indent orientation stage A-B the seam block is timed to place the indent fitting tips 124 centrally beneath two carriages, and after the seam block motion is synchronized with the carriage motion, the vertical slide 116 is raised by slide lever 117 to raise the seamrods 114 sothat the indent fitting tips 124 pass through the cut outs 4'0 in base plates 39 of the carriagehalves, and push upwardly against the lower surface of the fruit in the carriages. i In most instances the indent fitting tips 124 will contact the indents of the fruit, as the majority of the fruit will have been orientated by the previous stage with the indent down. The tips 124 are raised a `sufficient amount so that they can penetrate to the deepest extent into the indent of the fruit being processed by the machine, with the weight of the peach entirely resting on the tip.

In order that thelfruit be not merely rolled sidewise in the restraint space between the finger pairs of the carriage, fruit centralizing devices are utilized as shown in Figure 9.

Two centralizing devices are provided, one over each seam rod. Each centralizing device consists of a bracket 130 bolted at its lower end to orientation block 105. This bracket extends outwardly between the chain bars and then extends upwardly. At about the average level of the tops of peaches in the carriages, a cap lever 134 extends back toward the central vertical plane VP of the machine, this lever being connected by pivot 135 to bracket 130 for rotation in a vertical plane. Near the end of cone lever 134 a horizontal fork 136 is provided, this fork rotatably supporting a hollow cone 137 dimensioned to receive about the top third of a peach. Cone 137 oats, rotates freely and is movable vertically in a cone base 139, being held therein by cone shoulder 140 and retaining ring 141. The central axis of cone 137 is maintained vertical by a positioning rod 142 journalled at oneend in a central cone base lug 144 and at the other end in the terminus of bracket 130, the rod 142 being positioned parallel with cone lever 134.

The cone 137, resting on the peach, maintains the fruit vertical while being lifted by a seam rod 114, yet does not interfere with -vertical movement or rotation of the peach.

The position of the cone 137 over the peach is under the control of avertical control rod 145 pinned to the cone lever 134 near the attachment of the latter to bracket 130, the control rod 145 extending between `the chain bars to be rotatably attached to a lifting lever 146 `pivoted to extension147 of cross bar 113. One lifting lever 1,46 is positioned at one side of extension 147, the other lifting lever being positioned on `the other side of the extension 147 so that the inner end 149 of each lifting lever will be in a position to contact the lower end of a seam rod, as shown in Figure 10.

The result of the action of the linkage just above described, is that as the two seam rods rise to contact the fruit, the two cones are` lowered on to the top of` the two fruit being operated on by the indent fitting tips 124.

When the seam rods are lowered, the cones are raised above the fruit to clear the fruit, as the orientation block is being returned.

Assuming that the fruit indent contacted by an indent fitting tip" is "not properly orientated with the seam plane in `the plane of the long dimension of the indenttting tip, the indent fitting tips are oscillated away from and back to the central vertical plane position in order that the lindent fitting tip may find the seam plane and thereby register more deeply with-the indent. This .oscillation of the indent tting tips 124 is .provided for by the use of a rod pinion 150 mounted on each seam rod 114 immediately below orientation block 105 and pinned to the seam rods as best shown in Figure 10.

Rack brackets 151 are dropped down from one slide 109, these rack brackets supporting a yrack 152 having a forward set of teeth 154 spaced from a rear set ofteeth 155, both sets of these teeth .being positioned to mesh with rod pinions 15.0 only when vertical slide 116 and the seam rods 114 are raised. (See Fig.l3.)

The rack 152 is positioned to intersect the leading pinion 150 just after the seam rods have been raised and are travelling rearwardly at the same speed as the carriages with the indent fitting tips 124 in contact with the peaches in the overhead carriages.

This engagement of the leading pinion rotates this pinion, the leading seam rod and, by virtue of the sprocket chain 122, the trailing seam rod and tip also. The angular rotation of the rod and tip will be determined by the number of teeth on the rack, but an initial rotation of approximately to 80 away from the central vertical plane VP may be utilized, with a total rotation of from to 160. In many instances an initial rotation of about 45 with a tota-l rotation of about 90 has been found satisfactory.

An opposite intermediate rack 156 held by rack bracket 157 extended from the opposite upper chain bar 5 is provided, this rack 156 being positioned between front and rear teeth 154 and 155 respectively, to engage pinions to rotate the rod and tip in the opposite direction.

As the leading rod pinion 150 leaves the rear teeth of the rack 152, the trailing pinion 150 then engages the front teeth 154 and the rotative oscillation of the tips is repeated, thus providing three chances for the tips 124 to register with the seam indent, which have been found sufficient to orientate a major proportion of the fruit with the seam plane aligned with the major extent of the indent tips 124.

After the trailing Vpinion 150 has cleared the rack 152, it has been found desirable to vibrate the indent fitting tips 124 to insure the most exact registry possible of tip and indent. This is accomplished by supporting a stationary vibration rack 159 on the end of and below the ylevel of rack 152 in a position to engage a vibration block 160 pinned to the trailing seam rod 114 just below trailing pinion 150 this vibration block having vibration rollers '16011 spaced a distance of 31/2 teeth apart thereon, r

running over the teeth on vibration rack A159, as shown in Figure l l, to limpart an escapement type of rapid and short rocking motions to the attached seam rod and indent fitting tip, and also, through .chain l22 to the leading `seam rod and tip. This short period of indent fitting .tip vibration greatly aids in the final precise alignment of indent and tip.

As .soon as vibration has ceased, the vertical slide 116 is lowered by slide lever 117, leaving the peaches again restingon the base plates 39 of the opposed carriage halves. As the indent fitting tips 124 approach the orientation block 105 they are accurately aligned in the central vertical plane VP `of the machine by being lowered between two positioning pins 161 on the top of the seam orientation block 105. When indent fitting tips 124 have been lowered below Athe level of the base plates 39 of the carriage halves the seam orientation block 105 is rapidly moved forward to repeat the seam orientation cycle on the peaches in the two following carriages.

Inspection stage C--D The inspection stage C-D of the machine is shown in detail in Figures 14 to 17, inclusive.

While the seam inspecting devices previously described operate on two peaches at a time, the fruit can be in spected quickly and accurately with a single indent inspection probe mounted to operate on the Yfruit immediately after the peaches have left the vseam orientation stage.

The indent probe 165 is a composite body extending vertically in the central vertical plane VP ofthe machine and mounted for vertical movement in a probe .block 166 which in turn can be reciprocated horizontally along the path of the fruit by means of reciprocating power rod 167 connected to probe block 166 by end connection 163 and operated from the gear box 11 as will be later described. The probe 165 is mounted to be moved along with the fruit carriages at fruit carriage speed with the probe 165 centrally positioned with respect to the fruit in the carriages and below the fruit. The movement covers a distance of approximately 2/3 or of the center to center spacing between two carriages, allowing the remaining time for the return. The probe block 166 slides for such movement on lateral Aflanges 169 riding on probe block guides 170 attached to the upper chain bars 5.

Block 166 is reciprocated by the reciprocating power rod 167 from the cyclic shaft 250 through the cam 269 (Figure 2l) and parts 270, 271, 272,

The indent probe 16S, as before staged, is composite and comprises a main vertical body member 172 which can slide vertically in a sleeve 174 attached to block 166.

Main body member 172 terminates upwardly in an indent pilot 175. This indent pilot is positioned to extend in the central vertical plane VP of the machine, and the pilot is elongated in that plane to fit and enter the stem indent of a fruit when this indent is down and is in a position placing the seam plane of rthe ,fruit ,substantially in the central vertical plane VP of the machine.

Positioned at right angles to the indent pilot 175 and slideably mounted on the top .of the main probe body member 172 is a plate-like inspection tip 176 having laterally extending portions 177 sloping upwardly to the level of the top of the center of the indent lpilot 175 so that from above the two tips form a cross having side members sloping downwardly from the center thereof, as shown in Figure 17.

Inspection tip 176, as above stated, .is slideab'ly mounted on the top of main body member 172 and terminates below in a pin 17S pivoting the tip 176 to one .en d of `a cross lever 179 pivoted on body member 172. The other end of cross lever 179 is pivoted to a downwardly extending rod 180 connected to a bell ,crank pawl 181 having its lower end engaging in one position 4the top of a probe slide 182 vertically movable along the bottom of body member 172 by probe slide rod 184 driven from gearbox 11.

ln another position, pawl ,1.81 is withdrawn into body member 172, and in this latter position the probe slide 182, when reciprocated vertically, does not move the main body member 172. However, when pawl 1 81 is extended by a light spring 183 to engage the top of probe slide 182, the main body member moves upwardly as the probe slide 132 rises. n

As .the probe block 166 moves lforward rapidly toward the input end of the machine, the pro-be slide 182 -holds the indent pilot 175 and the inspection .tip 176 'below the base plates 39 .of the carriage halves. As the fruit is carried along by the carriages, the operation of the probe is timed so that it meets a carriage just leaving the seam orientating stage 'B-.C, and the proble block 166 starts to move at the same rate of progression as that of the fruit and in the same direction. At the same time, the probe slide 182 is raised rapidly, lthe upper end of the probe passing through the cut outs 40 in the 'base plates 39 of the carriage Vhalves as shown in Figure 14.

If the fruit .in the carriage being probed has the indent thereof down and the -seam plane -in -the vertical central pla-ne VP of the machine, as the probe 'rises the Aindent pilot 175 will enter the indent but the top of thefinspection tip 176 will contact the sides of the indent. As the probe continues to rise into the indent, thevinspection amaoee tip 176 is held stationary, and the main body member 172 ceases to rise because the relative movement of the indent pilot 175 and the inspection tip 176 has caused the pawl 181 to be withdrawn into main body `member 172. After this happens, the probe slide182 continues to rise but the probe remains stationary. Thus, when the indent is in the proper position the fruit' between the carriage halves is not disturbed, and remains between the carriage halves to be moved to the next stage ofthe machine.

of a peach away from the indent, or should enter an indent which is down but which is turned so thatthe seam plane is not in the central vertical plane. VP of the machine then no contact of the peach will be made with the inspection tip 176. will remain extended and the probe continue to rise with the probe slide 182, forcing the fruit upwardly.;

The length of the probe is such that at the top of the probe .slide stroke, the peach will be lifted just` above However, if the indent fitting tip contacts the surface In this case the paw1181 the upper level of thenger pairs on the carriage halves.

At this point a peach that has been raised is` ready` for ejection from the machine. Ejection is accomplished by an ejection mechanism best shown in Figure 14.

The ejection device comprises a pantograph frame 185, positioned on a cross plate 7 between upper and lower chain bars in a position opposite to that position where a fruit is raised to its upper limit by the probe. This frame, 185 is free to move .inwardly under the control of a pair of rollers 187 spaced by a yframe fork` 189 and also under the urge of a frame spring 190. Rollers `187 are positioned to contactand bridge a linger pair of a carriage half on one side of the machine, so that the pantograph frame 185 will be moved away from the central vertical plane VP of the machine when one `roller rides up on the advancing linger of a nger pair.` The frame will move toward the central vertical plane of 4the machine after the rollers have bridged a finger pair. `The pantograph frame 185 is thus cammed laterally by roller .l Y 14 indent and seam position are removed from the machine beforereaching the sawing stage to follow.

As peaches which are properly orientated are not lifted by the probe,the ejection plate-197, in moving across the restraint space does not disturb such a properly orientated peach below it. These peaches remain in the carriages to l"enter the sawing stage. f n On the downward stroke of the probe slide 182, the main body member 172 contacts the bottom of a positioning bracket 201 attached to one probe block bracket 170, so that the rocking pawl 181 will always be returned to its outward position at the end of the stroke.

After the carriages leave the inspection stageC-D only those peaches remain in the carriages which have theirindents down and which also have `their seani plane in the central vertical plane VP of the machine. These peaches, as far as position is concerned, are now ready for sawing but are only loosely held in the carriages. In order that they may be grasped firmly by opposite finger pairs 25, `an unlocking cam 205 on each side of the ma-` chine is held in the path of the locking levers 32 on each carriage half, these cams 205 being mounted on cam brackets 206 erected from cross plates 7 between the two chain bars 5 and 6, as shown in Figures l, 2, and 18, and are positioned to unlock the carriage halves just before these 'carriage halves leave the rollers 187 attached to the 1 pantog'raph` frame 185 and to chute 200.` As the carriage halves pass the unlocking cams 205, the locking levers 32 are depressed to unlock the ribbed arms 22 and these arms, and the attached linger pairs, fall by gravity and under the urge of roller 87 toward the central plane of the machine and against the peach between the finger pairs,

each finger pair stopping when contact with the peach is made. The `peach is centralized by the inger'pairs contact with the advancing finger of each carriage half on the pantograph frameside of the machine.

The pantograph frame 185 comprises an inner arm 191 to which frame fork 189 is attached, andan outwardly spaced arm 192 of parallel extent.\ Inner arm 191 at its lower end is pivoted to a short pivot boss 194 on the cross plate 7 and the outer arm 192 is pivoted on a longer pivot lug 195 on cross plate`7. The top ends of the .inner and outer arms 191 and 192, respectively, are pivoted to an ejection plate arm 196 tol which is attached an ejection plate 197 facing the opposite side of the machine and having fore and aft vertical flanges 199. The pantograph frame 185 is `adjusted to give the ejection plate 197 a substantially horizontal motion when a roller 187 first contacts a finger and rides toward the iinger junction. After the finger junctionis passed, the rollers permit movement of the pantograph frame 185 inwardly toward the central vertcalplane VP of the machine.

This movement causes ejection plate 197 to move across the restraint space between the finger pairs and is. timed to take place when the probe 165 has reached its highest point when carrying a peach upwardly in the restraint space. At this time and in this position, the peach is contacted by the inwardly moving ejection plate 197 and is forced laterally past the'central vertical plane of the machine into an opposite discharge chute 200 which .is also which are in this position linked together through rollers 187 on the pantograph frame 185 and chute 200, the latter two elements being linked through horizontal levers X191 and X200V respectively, the inner ends of the latter levers being connected by vertical link X300, as shown in Figure 14. After this happens, locking levers 32 pass off unlocking cams 205. and the linger pairs are locked against the peach. Thus, thepeach is rmly grasped between the finger pairs, with the seam plane in or very close to the central vertical plane VP of the machine.

After the peach has been grasped and the carriage halves locked, the peaches are progressed past a central, vertically positioned circular halving saw 209 driven by a saw motor 210 mounted above the machine on saw motor brackets 211 extended from the frame of the machine. The plane of the saw 209 is in the central vertical plane VP and as the peaches are moved past the saw, the peaches are cut in half. As the plane of the saw coincides with the seam or suture plane of the peach being sawed, each half of the peach will be substantially identical.

Peach half separation stage E-F After the peach has been sawed into two substantially identical halves, the two halves are separated and changed in position, in preparation for the removal of the pit halves remaining in the peach halves.

Positioned on each side of the halving saw 209 in a vertical plane and close to the saw blade is a thin splitter plate 212 which enters between the saw and the sawed surface of the peach halves, the peach halves being held against the splitter plates by a finger pair as the carriages progress. The splitter plates are best shown in Figures 1 and 2.

As the carriage halves start downwardly around the angularly positioned drive sprockets 9 the splitter plates 212 ilare outwardly and turn in plane, following the path of the finger pairs, so that the peach halves are pressed by the nger pairs against the splitter plates over the entire course of the splitter plates. To prevent the peach halves from changing position with respect to the splitter 15 plates on which they are riding, the splitter plates are provided with ridges 214 shown in Figures l and 2.

As the lower .horizontal path of the carriage halves is Jreached, the splitter plates 212 have been twisted into a horizontal plane with the peach halves held on the top thereof lbythe finger pairs as shown in Figure 18. Inthis :posit-ion the Vpeach halves .are ready for pit removal, and are sufficiently far apart laterally so that the pitting drive mechanism can be placed between the splitter plates. The l.pit halves are then cut out by .a pitting mechanism in a pitting stage.

Fitting stage F-G Thefpitting mechanism operating on the peach halves to remove the pit halves is best-shown in Figures 18 and 19.

Extending outwardly from each s ide of gear box 11, which is located between the lower chain bars 6 land below the saw 209, is a pitting knife sleeve 214 rotatable in the side wall 215 ofthe gear box 11 in a Vsleeve bearing v4216. Adjacent the outer end of each sleeve 214 is a pitting knife 217 having parallel ends 219 attached to a curved :blade 220 which describes a radius with the center located at the intersection of the axis of the wobble pin with the axis of the shaft 224 and which is the general contour of a half pit. Pitting knife 217 is attached 'by ends 219 to a knife bearing 221 in which a wobble pin 222 extended from a wobble shaft 224 is rotatable. The wobble shafts 224 from each knife extend inwardly through sleeves 214 to join at a central pinion 225 Within the gear box 11, this pinion 225 being rotated at 'high speed by mating gear 22Sa mounted on longitudinal shaft 57.

Sleeves 214 terminate outwardly in sleeve slots 226 in which the inner end 219 of the pitting knife and the knife bearing 221 are held.

of the end `of each wobble shaft 224, crossing the axis of the wobble shaft 224 about midway of the extent of the wobble pin, this crossing7 being positioned substantially below the center of the line ,of peach pit travel over the splitter plates. 2,24 does not rotate the pitting knife 2,17, `as the latter are restrained by the sleeve slots 226, but merely .oscillate the knives rapidly.

In .order that the pitting knives 217 be rotated over a path where they will pass around a peach pit half in ,a peach half, each sleeve 214 is inwardly kjoined by a bridge 227 .extended `over and around the central pinion 225 so that `both sleeves 214 can be reciprocated b y sleeve rod 228 through a sleeve ,arm 229. Sleeve rod V229 is driven by connection to an eccentric cam in the gear box 11 as will be described later.

If Vall peach halves were to be of ,substantially the same size, .the `pitting knife sleeves 214 could be solidly positioned. However, V,as pointed out above, it may be desirable .for the machine to process upgraded fruit., in which case .the halves presented for'pittiug may vary Asubstatitially in size. Thus, with the vertical position of the pitting blade fixed with relation -to the plane of the cut surface of the peach, reciprocation of a pitting knife'217 over a tixed arc passing through a peach half, could take too large acut out of a 4small peach half, and too small a cut to properly remove the pit half from a large peach `half. Consequently, l prefer to position the pitting knife 25.17 vertically in accordance with the size of the fruit -half being presented for pit removal.

In order that lthe pitting knives can be moved'vertically, the lsleeves 214 are each provided with a hinge 230 adjacent the side wall 215 of gear box 11 on the outside thereof so that the outer ends of the sleeves can be moved vertically. Inside the hinges the wobble shafts 224 are each provided with a iiexible joint 231 so that these wobble shafts can be continuously -rotated when the vertical position of pitting knives 217 is chan-ged.

The vertical position of pitting knives 217 in eachcase is controlled by a roller 232 which 'is rotatably supported Rotation of the wobble pins 222 by ,shafts on a bell crank 234 rotatable on a bell crank bracket 235 positioned outwardly from each pitting `knife 217 and attached .to gear box base 236. Each roller 232 bears against the junction of the two fingers on each finger pair 2S Lofeachcarriage half as the latter pass by. This junction reflects the thickness of the peach half, as the tinger pairs were moved into peach surface Contact just prior to the sawing operation, as explained above. On each slide, .the end `of hell crank 234 opposite roller 232 is connectcdbyfa link237 to a sleeve extension 241. A stop 242 prevents .eachsleeve 214 from dropping below a minimum vertical position, ybetween contacts .of rollers 232 with the carriage halves.

In operation, each pitting knife remains substantially horlizontal with curved 'blade 220 just below a splitter plate 2.12, -eaoh of which at this position is cut away with a blade slot 244 therein to permit reciprocation of the curved blade 22d-over an arc passing around a pit half in a peach half being progressed along a splitter plate 212 by a carriage half.

As 'a peach yhail-f approaches the pitting position, each sleeve 214 is `rotated by movement of sleeve arm 229 to move the pitting blade upwardly and in the direction of the moving peach half. A-t the same time each sleeve 214 is raised by roller 232 contacting the carriage half so that as the curved blade 220 of the pitting knife 217 reaches its top-most position, as shown in Figure 18 (left), the blade will be -above the pit, 'but not so -far above as to remove too 'great -a proportion of each meat along with the pit.

Reciprocation of the knife continues with the blade moving with the peach half as the peach half progresses, until-the vblade swings again below thelevel of the splitter pla-te' 212, after having passed completely around the pit half, which then drops out of the peach. The pitted peach half then continues on the splitter plate until past the discharge Ypoint of the pits and then the splitter plates terminate, permitting V`the pitted peach halves to drop on an Voutput belt 24S, for example. It is to be noted that both the blade 220 and the peach half are travelling in the same direction, but that the center of rotation of blade 220 is well below the splitter plate 212. This position of the Acenter of rrotation of the blade 226 permits the blade to travel faster than the peach half and provides a pitting cut in the peach which is of a substantially smaller radius than the radius of rotation of blade 22d. Furthermore, the additional vertical motion applied by roller 232 to the blade, produces a cut in the peach which very closely approaches the curvature of the outer surface of the peach pit "half, thereby conserving meat Aof the peach, substantially independently ofthe peach half size. The .cut provided .by rthe blade 220 is adjusted to make a cut based on the yaverage relative size of the peach pit to the size of the peach.

It should .also .be noted that the continuous wobble or Ioscillation imparts a sawing action to the knife during its passage around the pit, which greatly aids in providing a clean meat cut, and avoids .tearing of the meat as might occur from a direct pushing cut through the fruit meat, without blade oscillation.

lt is further to be noted that the sleeves 214 are held .against ends 241) of .cranks 239 only by gravity. If, for example, an oversize pit should possibly be encountered .by `a blade 220 as Athis `blade starts .across the top of its .ar-c over the pit half., the blade will climb the pit contour by the wobble .action lifting thc sleeve away from its support as the blade passes over .the top .of the pit half, returning to this support as soon .as the blade has passed thc peak of lits arc. In `this manner, oversized pits are prevented from being bodily torn out of the peach half, spoiling the Shape of the remaining meat.

After the 'knife has removed the pit and the peach half 'has moved along to the discharge point, the knives 217 are vrapidly -re'ciprocated `back to their original positions before the arrival of the next carriage half.

Gear box V The following members are driven from the gear 130x111.

l. The probe block"166. f

. The seam orientation `block j 105 Thevertical slide 116 The probe slide 182.

. The-longitudinal shaft 57.

. AThe two chain drive sprockets 9.

. vThe sleeverod 228.

,The star wheel 46, the pinion wire 94, and they wobble shafts 224 aredriven from the longitudinal shaft'57, while the sub-conveyor chain 77 is driven Aby pins 1 00; attached to roller chains 1.0, as hereinbefore described;

The main elements of gear box 11 are shown in Figures 20 and 21. d l d Gear box pulley 16 is attached to a main shaft 2,50` extending laterally through the gear box 1,1 backy ofa parallel stub shaft 2,51.. Main shaft 250 rotates one revolution for one cycle of the machine, ige., forthe progression of each carriagey the center to center distance of the spacing of the carriage halves on the main chains 10. Stub shaft 251 isa 1/zjcycle shaft, being drivenfrom main shaft 250 by spur gears 252 proportioned to provide the desiredspeedreduction. v, f

On each side of stub shaftl 251 is positioned two pairs of cams, a pair of block reciprocating cams 254', and

`pair of vertical slidej cams 255. `One cam of each pair is the reciprocal fof the other cam in that pair, so that cam followers can be given a positive drive in both directions. y

Immediately below stub shaft 251, with their axes in alignment, are a pair ofy separate cam follower shaft`s,la blockreciprocating shaft 256 positioned below the block reciprocating cams 254 anda vertical slidey shaft'257 below vertical slide cams 255. ,Each of-the shafts 256 and 257 extends through the side wall of the gear box, andare supported4 inwardly by end bearings 259 and 260,1'respectively.

The block reciprocating shaft 256 carries an upwardly" extending reciprocating cam follower yoke 261 having a follower roller 262 on each end thereof, one of these rollers contacting each cam of the pair of block reciproeating cams 255. In a like manner, the vertical slide shaft 257 carries an upwardly extending vertical slide cam follower yoke 264, the ends of which carry cam rollers 265, one bearing on each vertical slide cam 255. Thus the two shafts 256 and 257 are oscillated in accordance with the respective cam contours.

On the outside of gear box 11, the block reciprocating shaft 256 is connected to a block reciprocating lever 266y which extends rearwardly, upwardly, and inwardly to terminate close to the central vertical plane VP of the machine just below the carriages. At this upper point, lever 266 is connected to the orientation block; 105

through the reciprocating power rod 167. The cams 254A are designed to move the blocks with the carriages at carriage speed for 11/2 cycles of the machine proper, returning the blocks in 1/2 cycle.

On the other side of the gear box, the vertical slide shaft 257 is connected to a forwardly extending vertical shaft lever 267, the forward end of which is connected to the lower end of the downwardly extending slide rod 117 shown in Figures 2 and 9. The vertical slide cams raise the vertical slide of the `seam orientation stage rapidly, hold the slide up until the end of the seam block travel and then drop the slide. The shape of cams 255 is shown in Figure 21a.

"Mounted on rnain shaft 250, alongside the shaft spur gear, is'an-'inspectionipair of cams 269. To the rear of the `inspection cam '269 iser. probe shaft 270 extending outside ofxgear `box 11 to which is attached a probe yoke 271fhaving probe yoke'rollers 272 on the ends thereof.h

Rollers272 contact opposite inspection cams for positive"y drive of probe 'drive shaft 270. Outside of gear box'illl a'forwardly extending probe slide lever 274 is attachedf at one end to probe shaft 276 and at the other endto'the probe slide rod 184 so that the probe slide is -reciprocated from its low point to its high point once for eachlreciprocation of the probe block 166.

Longitudinal shaft 57 is driven at twice the speed of main-shaft ,250 through bevel gears 275 one of which is u attached to the end 'of longitudinal shaft 57, the' other gear 275 being attached to an idler shaft 276. Idler shaft 276 is driven from main shaft spur gear 252 through idler'rshaft pinion 277.A f

The chaln'drive` sprockets 9 are mounted on angularly positioned gear box plates 279 by sprocket shafts 280 passed through"'sprocket shaft bearings281 formed in `plates 279. Sprocket shafts 280 terminate inwardly in sprocket'bevel gears 282 which mesh with stub shaft bevel gears 284, one oneachend of the stub shaft 251. IBefelgears282 and 284 and the drive sprocket 9 are sized,`in"a preferred machine embodiment, to progress 60 carriages per minutes past a given point on the machine when the mainvshaft 250 is rotated 60 R. P. M., which is the 'preferred Acycle speed of the machine, thereby enablingl 60 peaches per minute'to be processed. I, i The' pitting knife' sleeves 214 are reciprocated by eccentiicstrap 228 driven from shaft 250 as shown in FiguresI 21a and 18. Mounted on shaft 250 directly in back of cams 269 is another pair of cams to operate a duplicate `shaft directly in` back of the shaft 270. This duplicate'shaftis secured to the lever 167X (also shown in Figure 21a) which is linked by the rod 167 to the probe block 166y to give the latter the desired reciprocation as `before described.

M odi ficaton of carriage isfslo'wn; which 'is made tojbe adjustable, not `only as to the' distance of the ngerpair for the central vertical plane VP of the machine, but also as to the vertical position of the base plates on which the fruit rests. As large peaches usually have deeper indents than smaller peaches, lowering the base plates will permit the orientation wheels 91 and the indent fitting tips 124 to enter the indents more deeply before the sides of the indent rest on the base plates. Consequently, it may be desirable to adjust both the position of the finger pairs and the base plates, and in a constant relationship.

This type of adjustment is accomplished, as shown in Figures 22 and 23, by removing the base plate 39 from the carriage plate 21 and utilizing a special carriage plate 290 that extends only slightly above its connection to the roller chain 10.

On each side of special carriage plate 290 near the upper end thereof is an upright lug 291, these lugs 291 being connected by a guide pin 292 spaced from the carriage plate 290 to receive a sliding plate 293 fitting over the special carriage plate 290, being provided with a cutaway portion 294 to permit the sliding plate 293 to reciprocate as shown by the arrow and to end adjacent the pivot pin 24 of the central ribbed arm 22 of the carriage half, which is the same as for the carriage half previously described, except that above pivot pin 24, the ribbed arm 22 of the modified carriage half is provided with a drive pin lug 295 in which is held a drive pin 296 which extends laterally on each side of lug 295. The horizontal base plate 39 is in this case the upper end of the sliding plate 293, so that as the ribbed arm 22 is adjusted, as set forth above in the description of the loading stage I-A, the base plate 39 is also moved vertically,

19 as indicated in Figure 22. Thus forlargepeaches not only can the restraint space be niade larger laterally, but also the base plate 39 can be lowered so that the orientation wheels 91. and the indent fitting tips 124 can'epenetrate kthe indents more deeply in the larger peaches.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular' Vfeatures of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously issusceptible of modification in its form proportions, detailzconstruction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any .of its advantages.

While, in order to comply' with the statute, theinvention has been described in language more orless specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is, therefore, claimed inany; of its forms or modications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.V v

This application is a division of my pending application Serial No. 225,731, tiled May l1, 1951, which in turn is a division of application Serial No. 98,260, tiled June 10, 1949 since matured into Patent No. 2,568,947, issued August 27, 1951.

I claim:

1. ln a peach pitter, a fiat plate having any aperture therein, means for holding a peach half including apit half with the cut surface in contact with said plate and with said pit half exposed through said aperture, a tirst shaft extending in a plane generally parallel to said plate and on the opposite side of said plate from said holding means, a second shaft mounted to rotate within said rst shaft, said second shaft terminating in a wobble pin extending at an angle to said second shaft, a bearing mounted on said wobble pin, a pitting knife mounted on said bearing and having an arcuate portion positioned to be rotatable through said aperture and around said pit half, means for rotating said second shaft to oscillate said knife on said wobble pin, means on said first shaft to restrain said knife from rotating during oscillation thereof, and me'ans'for rotating said rst shaft to rotate the oscillating knife through said peach half around s'aid pit half.

'2. .Apparatus in accordance with claim l wherein universal joint means are provided in said first and second shafts to permit motion of said knife toward and away from said plate. y 1

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim l wherein universal joint means are provided in said first and second shafts to permit motion of said knife toward and away from said plate, and means for changing the position of said knife toward and away from said plate in accordance with the thickness of the peach half being pitted.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim l wherein universal joint means are provided kin said first and Vsecond shafts to permit motion of said knifetoward and away from said plate, means contacting said peach half and holding said half against said plate, and means for changing the position of said knife toward and away from said plate in accordance with the position of said peach half contacting means. Y

5. Apparatus inaccordance with claim l wherein universal joint means are provided in said first and second shafts to permit motion of said knife toward `and away from said plate, means gaging a dimension of the fruit half on said plate, and means for changing the position ofsaid knife in accordance with the condition of said gaging means.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim l wherein universal joint means are provided in said first and second shafts to permit motion of said knife toward and away from said plate, means contacting said'fruit half and holdingsaid half against said plate, vthe position of said con- 'tacting means indicating the thickness of said peach half, a sleeve around said first shaft, and a sleeve support connected with said sleeve and bearing on said contacting means to position said knife.

Australia Feb. 6, 1941 

